Great Novel (The Name of the Wind, by Patrick Rothfus)

A few months ago I discovered a novel written by an author I'd never read before. The novel had it all; fluid, well-spoken dialog; rich narrative; excellent characters; a compelling story; and the ability that too few novels have: forcing one to become lost in the tale. The novel is The Name of the Wind, by Patrick Rothfus.

This book is the first of three, and Rothfus has yet to publish the other two, so if you cannot wait for the next in a series - and like the Song of Ice and Fire you won't be happy to wait - then I would suggest you hold off until Rothfus publishes the last two. However, I think this is one of the best fantasy novels I have read to-date and I highly recommend it to anyone who has a soft spot for epic stories.

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Seconded for a recommendation to read Name of the Wind. His world-building is pretty amazing. However, I'm going to slightly downplay the writing talent. I would not compare him to George R. R. Martin. Rothfuss is a new author (this is his first book). He struggles a bit to tell a story concisely. The entire plot is a bit of a cliché -- orphan kid with a destiny struggles to earn the respect of his teachers and fellow students. He changes point of view three times in as many pages in one spot. That said, I couldn't put it down. Rothfuss has something fantastic here and you shouldn't miss it.